The invention relates generally to intraoperative analysis of tissue using mass spectrometry.
The review of tissue sections by light microscopy remains a cornerstone of tumor diagnostics. In recent decades, monitoring expression of individual proteins using immunohistochemistry and characterizing chromosomal aberrations, point mutations, and gene expression with genetic tools has further enhanced diagnostic capabilities. These ancillary tests, however, often require days to perform and results become available long after surgery is completed. For this reason, the microscopic review of tissue biopsies frequently remains the sole source of intraoperative diagnostic information, with many important surgical decisions based on this information. This approach is time consuming, often requiring nearly 30 minutes or more between the moment a tissue is biopsied and the time the pathologist's interpretation is communicated back to the surgeon. Tools that provide immediate feedback to the surgeon could transform the way surgery is performed.